How to Create Fantasy Creatures

 How to Create Fantasy Creatures

A "Realistic" Spin on Creature Creation

Practically every fantasy book has some sort of mystical creature, either original, borrowed from folklore, or neither (anthropomorphizing Earth's creatures). Whatever the case, magical creatures are signature of fantasy. If you have them in your story, then it is crucial they be one of the stronger components since they contribute a great deal to the allure of your realm.

 

The method I use to create "realistic" fantasy creatures is mix-and-match. Probably every creator has used this method at least twice: basically, mash together two or more random creatures into one. For example, a centaur; a human and a horse. We don't stop there, however. That's the easy part.

Here's where we get a little bit into the nitty-gritty, specifically history. Everyone (I think) knows what a centaur is. Centaurs have a high level of appeal. Something about them just...clicks. In fact, a centaur practically makes sense, unless you were one of those sharp kids who asked, How does that even work?

Vampires--How have they come to be one of the most vastly-known "creatures", even before Twilight's time,  when they are simply humans with fangs and a dangerous penchant for blood?

One of my theories behind the centaur's 'popularity', for lack of a better word, has a lot to do with its origins. Wikipedia has a section called "theories of origin" for centaurs. One of the major theories is that the motif of centaurs arose because of a pastoral community that evolved primarily due to its "mounted nature". These ancient cultures did practically all their living--and dying--on the saddle. Other cultures who found this sort of living alien interpreted these men on horseback as...Well, centaurs. Suddenly, all these stories about centaurs bursts forth, and quite frankly this is where the creativity seriously kicks in.